Just the facts, M’am

Remember Broderick Crawford and the Highway Patrol? With his hefty build and cigarette dangling from his lips, Crawford, who played Chief Dan Matthews, actually looked like an officer. Let’s just say Erik Estrada (“CHIPS”) needed a few more doughnuts to be a real cop.

Which is not a putdown on Crawford. If I’m on patrol with an officer facing a real bad guy with a real gun in his hand, give me a partner with meat on his bones.

And do you remember “Dragnet” and Sergeant Friday? Close my eyes and I still can see actor Jack Webb’s deadpan expression and hear his monotone voice: “Facts M’am; just the facts.”

In the ’80s when my kids were growing up, the most famous cop show was 1-Adam-12. My children wanted to know which patrolman was Adam.

Anyway, am looking forward to tonight’s session. Next week, it’s “Patrol Procedures, Part II,” which I hope includes a trip to the doughnut shop.